One player each for the Men and Women Championships nominated by each Mediterranean Federation as listed in the MCA statute. If a Federation wishes to have additional players participating, besides those qualified through the normal way and by right, it should apply to the Organizing Committee (see also para.5). A player can participate in the competition only after getting an official consent from the Organizing Federation.

2.1 Previous Champions

*Note : Organized in the beginning of the following year

3. Registration
The Registration Form/s shall be submitted to the General Secretary of the Mediterranean Chess Association by e-mail to the General Secretary, Mr Geoffrey Borg at geoffrey.borg@gmail.com by not later than 31st October 2007. If Federations or participants submit the registration form after the deadline they may have to pay for their accommodation.

4. Traveling Expenses and Airport Transfers

Traveling expenses shall be covered by the participating Federations or players. Transportation from the Tunis International airport to the hotel and back will be managed by organizers for free.

5. Board & Lodging

The participants, one man and one woman nominated by each federation, will be provided with free full board and lodging. Any additional participant or accompanying person will have to pay for all their expenses in Sousse (25EUR/day).

The Hotel accommodation will be provided in the Hotel Houria Palace ****, Address: 4089, EL KANTAOUI 4039 SOUSSE Information on the Hotel can be found through Google.

6. Entry Visa & Participant Details

All participants are requested to send one passport-size photo (jpeg) of their players and passport details to the MCA along with the registration form. Please check with your Government or the Tunisian Embassy in your country on the need or requirements for visas to Tunisia.

7. Tournament Regulations

Procedure of appeals

Protests against decisions of the Chief Arbiter or any of his assistants, must be submitted in written form to the Chairman of the Appeals committee within one hour after completion of the playing session. The protest must be accompanied with the sum of 50 EUR, as a deposit from the signatory. If the protest is accepted and the decision changed, then the deposit will be returned back to the claimant.

Otherwise money will be transferred to the MCA Treasury or Organizing Committee. The Appeals Committee will be selected prior to the first round during the Technical meeting and will be made up of three persons selected by the majority of the players.

System and rate of play

Men and women will participate in one joint tournament. This will give more opportunity for norms. The Championships are organized as per the FIDE Rules in the FIDE Handbook under section D.V.01. The events will be conducted according to the Swiss System, 9 rounds. The time limit will be 90 minutes + 30 seconds increment per move for each player. The games will be played using digital clocks.

Pairings

Pairings will be made with Swiss Manager software. Pairings will be announced as soon as possible after each playing round finishes, and will be posted in front of the tournament hall and in other key areas.

Ranking and Tie – breaks

The order of players, for the award of trophies, that finish with the same number of points, shall be determined by application of the following tie-breaking procedures in sequence proceeding from (a) to (b) to (c) to (d) according to the extent required.

(a) Median-Buchholz,

(b) Buchholz

(c) Progressive Scores

(d) Match between tied players.

Prizes

The Championship winners will be awarded trophies and Gold, Silver and Bronze Medals respectively. The organisers are also please to announce cash prizes as follows.

The Prizes for Men : 1st. 1.000DT 2nd. 600DT 3rd. 400DT

The Prizes for Women: 1st. 500DT 2nd. 300DT 3rd. 200DT

Cash prizes will be split equally if there is more than one player qualifying for the cash prize. Women players who may rank in the first overall three places will be given a choice as to which prize and trophy they may wish, but no person may win more than one respective prize & trophy.

Additional Rules:

(a) Article 10.2 of the Laws of Chess is not valid.

(b) After each game players will hand the original scores to the arbiter signed by both of them.

(c) Analyzing is not allowed in the playing hall.

(d) During the game the players are not allowed to go to the analyzing room.

(e) Players who have finished their games shall be considered to be spectators and are not allowed to stay in the playing area.

(f) Players are asked not to bring any mobile phone into the playing hall. If a mobile phone rings the player will be punished according to Art. 13.4 of the Laws of Chess by loss of the game.

(g) Flash photography may be used only in the first ten minutes of the games

(h) We assume that all the players have read the Tournament Regulations and are obliged to obey them.

(i) Only the players and arbiters shall be allowed in the actual playing area, except with the express permission of the chief arbiter.

(j) As long as a person’s game is in progress, a player may talk only to an arbiter or with his opponent, as permitted by the Laws of Chess.

(k) The English text of these Tournament Regulations is the authentic version.

8. Playing Schedule

9. Unforeseen Items

Any matter not mentioned in the present Regulations shall be decided by the MCA Council in conjunction with the organizing committee.

Contact numbers in emergency for the Tournament Director, Mr. Latiri Tahar (216) 99219512 and Fax (216) 73224210 or the MCA General Secretary, Mr. Geoffrey D Borg  (356) 21434729 or  (356) 99434729.